Top pick
This easy-to-operate flip waffle maker produces thick, evenly browned Belgian waffles worthy of a hotel buffet.
In our tests, the Cuisinart Round Flip Belgian Waffle Maker WAF-F30 reliably made batch after batch of thick, golden waffles that were fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside.
It’s a flip model that’s as simple as it is fun to use. Though this machine lacks the bells and whistles of our super-customizable upgrade pick, we’ve concluded that for the price and performance, the Cuisinart Round Flip has most everything you need to make excellent waffles at home.
It cooks quickly. In our tests, the Round Flip took about two minutes to make a substantial, 6.5-inch-round, 1-inch-thick waffle on the medium setting. That’s hardly longer than the results from our speediest pick, the Cuisinart Round Classic Waffle Maker, which cooked a thinner waffle in about one and a half minutes.
Our top pick preheated quickly, too, as it went from cold to medium in three minutes, just 10 seconds longer than the Cuisinart Round Classic. Its recovery time—how long a waffle maker takes to adjust to changes in temperature settings—was also minimal at under a minute and sometimes nonexistent.
It makes thick, golden waffles. These waffles made us go ooooh—they were thick and round, with deep wells ideal for cradling syrup or our toppings of choice. The texture was fluffy inside, with just enough crunch when we cooked on medium (level 3 on the dial), and the machine consistently cooked one exemplary waffle after another.
Aside from the slightly crispier waffles made by the significantly more expensive Breville Smart Waffle Pro models, these were the most impressive waffles we tasted when it came to texture and sheer visual appeal, especially for those of us who like ’em tall and airy.
It’s agile. When we toggled the dial from level 5 (the darkest) to level 1 (the lightest), our top pick was responsive, producing a pale waffle right after cooking a deep-brown one in under a minute, with no recovery time in between. This was also true of our other picks, though we were impressed with this level of performance at the Round Flip’s price.
It’s intuitive to use. The manual’s instructions made using this model easy. First, pour the batter over the plate and spread it with a heatproof spatula. Then, close the lid, turn the handle 180 degrees, wait until the “ready” light goes on, flip it again, remove the waffle, and repeat. The machine also comes with a ¾-cup measure that doles out the right amount of batter.
Considering that this waffle maker requires the extra step of flipping, we appreciated that it wasn’t more complicated to use than our other picks.
It’s easy to clean. As with most of our picks, all it took to clean the plates after use was a swipe with a damp cloth once they had cooled. That same cloth also wiped away errant batter on the body of the machine, and we hand-washed the stainless steel drip tray, a nice feature that our other picks lack (though our upgrade pick from Breville does have an effective overflow moat).
It stays cool during cooking. The plastic lid handle was cool enough to touch after an hour of use, which was not true of all the waffle makers we tested. Even the metal surfaces didn’t get too hot, though we don’t recommend unnecessary contact; as with all waffle makers, just steer clear of the steam.
This waffle maker comes with a limited three-year warranty.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
It offers no audible cues. Like our other Cuisinart picks, the Cuisinart Round Flip lacks sound indicators. It has only a green “ready” light that goes on when the machine is preheated or the waffle is cooked. If you prefer a beep, you might consider our upgrade pick from Breville or the Cuisinart Double Flip Belgian Waffle Maker, though both are considerably more expensive.
It’s taller than other models. At about 8 inches high, this waffle maker is the tallest among our picks, but it can still clear an upper cabinet when fully opened on a countertop. Although it’s not as compact as our flatter budget pick, it’s small enough to be stowed in a cabinet or pantry.
Some of the instructions are flawed. The batter cup that comes with the Cuisinart Round Flip measures ¾ cup, but as an alternative, the manual (PDF) instructs you to fill a standard measuring cup to 1 cup with batter. When we followed those instructions, however, the waffle maker was too full to close, and batter oozed out of the machine. We had better luck using a scant cup, which is closer to the ¾ cup measure that the machine comes with.
How the Cuisinart Round Flip Belgian Waffle Maker has held up
Supervising editor Marilyn Ong has been testing the Cuisinart Round Flip Belgian Waffle Maker in her house for the past year mostly for mochi waffles. She reports that it makes reliably fluffy and delicious results. Her one complaint is that the lack of an audible cue when the waffle finishes makes it a bad fit for multitaskers. “I’m always trying to do too many things in the kitchen at once,” says Marilyn. “Even if I’m standing right there but engrossed in another task, the waffles will burn.”
Staff writer Dorie Chevlen reports that she loves hers so much, she’s carved out space for it in her tiny apartment kitchen and uses it weekly.
